From April 8th to April 12th, 2024 the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) titled “Engaging Students with Interactive Materials in Mathematics.” was held in TTK University of Applied Sciences, in Tallinn, Estonia.
Educators from different European universities delved into the realms of Open Educational Resource (OER) definition, evaluation, use, and creation. The programme encompassed various topics essential for OER creation, including Design of Learning Materials, Pedagogy of Online Learning, Organizing a Comprehensive Learning Process Based on OERs, criteria for OER quality, and creating OERs for visually impaired and colorblind individuals.
Workshops showcased various apps such as H5P, Desmos, Geogebra, Canva, and others, facilitating the creation of mathematics-related learning materials. Participants actively created and uploaded OERs to the project’s smart library, allowing both them and project partners to utilize these resources in the future.
Moreover, visits to institutions like TalTech and the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences provided invaluable insights and networking opportunities.

With 20 attendees hailing from 11 higher education institutions, the BIP celebrated the rich tapestry of perspectives and expertise within the educational landscape. Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, participants leveraged their collective strengths to advance the field of mathematical education. With continued collaboration and dedication, the journey towards accessible, engaging learning experiences for all students marches onward.

On April 6, 2024, the representatives of the Gate2Math project Oksana Labanova and Elena Safiulina (TTK UAS), alongside  Tatjana Tamberg (TLU), participated in the general assembly of the Estonian Mathematical Society and introduced the essence of the Gate2Math.
Creating a new Open Educational Resources (OER) platform for mathematical objects was warmly welcomed by community members, with hopes expressed for building a community around it. There was optimism about the sustainability of this project and a shared commitment to its success.

The third transnational partner meeting of the ERASMUS+ project Gate2Math took place on the 21st – 22nd of March 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

It brought together participants, both physically and virtually, to review critical aspects of the ongoing project, from refining learning materials to improving user engagement strategies in the smart library workspace.

The meeting held in Barcelona provided not only a platform for professional networking but also opportunities for social interaction and cultural exploration..

Oksana Labanova from TTK UAS is exploring the possibility of exchanging test questions through the Gate2Math library at the STACK conference.

To create an environment of collaborative learning and resource sharing between higher education institutions, a TTK UAS representative recently attended the prestigious STACK conference, held from 11 to 13 March 2024 in Amberg, Germany.

During the conference, a representative of TTK UAS discussed with colleagues from various educational institutions the prospects of creating an open library of educational resources in mathematics to exchange test questions.
The initiative aims to streamline the assessment creation while promoting academic collaboration and innovation across borders. Recognizing the importance of standardized assessment practices in education, discussions have focused on the potential benefits of a centralized repository for sharing test questions.
Such a platform could facilitate the exchange of ideas, best practices, and diverse perspectives among educators from different countries.

Two partner universities, TTK UAS and The Polytechnic Institute of Porto (IPP), are having two poster sessions at INTED2024. The first poster, entitled “Analyzing, Gathering, Assessing, Developing, and Sharing Math Open Educational Resources (OERs) – Ideas behind an Erasmus+ Project,” is presented by Ana Paula Lopes and Filomena Soares from IPP. The second poster, titled “Critical Analysis of Open Educational Resources Assessment Strategies,” is presented by Anne Uukkivi from TTK UAS.

With these initiatives the invites all lecturers of mathematics and statistics to join the Gate2Math community and be part of the development of Open Smart Library of mathematical resources. For further information please contact Anne Uukkivi, the project coordinator, or representatives from participating universities.

Gate2Math´s primary objective is to establish a comprehensive, multilingual open library dedicated to mathematical resources. A web-based platform is being developed, which will provide educational materials for both educators and students in the form of Open Educational Resources (OERs). These resources will be available in both the national language and English and will encompass various formats such as short videos, animations, puzzles, and worksheets.

Gate2Math is financed by Erasmus+, the EU’s program to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe, developed in close cooperation with six partner universities across Europe and led by TTK University of Applied Sciences in Estonia.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) can make higher mathematics education more effective through cost reduction, increased accessibility, and adaptable materials for teachers.

Open Educational Resources are freely accessible teaching and learning materials that can be utilized, customized, and shared without any cost. OERs come in diverse forms, ranging from entire courses to individual educational materials.

The online survey conducted by Eramus+ project Gate2Math partners showed that almost three-quarters of the respondents considered the OERs necessary and were ready to collaborate in various forms, such as creating, testing, reviewing, and translating materials. However, some respondents were reluctant to share their materials for free or did not find the digital library useful for their specific courses.

Findings also showed that tight collaboration is needed to develop OERs as there are different barriers and challenges to overcome like limited willingness to share existing materials with the skepticism of teachers towards open educational materials, lack of time and teachers’ specific approaches to teaching a subject that may not be suitable for others.

The respondents were mathematics teachers from different universities and institutions. The survey aimed to investigate the need for Open Educational Resources (OERs) in mathematics education, the reasons for the absence of OERs, and the willingness to cooperate in its creation and use.

The main research findings and the role of open educational resources in higher mathematics education can be found in the article. The article titled “Challenges and Opportunities for Open Educational Resources in Higher Mathematics Education” was combined by project partners from TTK University of Applied Sciences and Tallinn University.

The article and survey results were first presented at the international ICL2023 conference “Towards a Hybrid, Flexible and Socially Engaged Higher Education” by Gate2Math project members from TTK University of Applied Sciences.

Gate2Math´s primary objective is to establish a comprehensive, multilingual open library dedicated to mathematical resources. A web-based platform is being developed, which will provide educational materials for both educators and students in the form of Open Educational Resources (OERs). These resources will be available in both the national language and English and will encompass various formats such as short videos, animations, puzzles, and worksheets.

Gate2Math is financed by Erasmus+, the EU’s program to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe, developed in close cooperation with six partner universities across Europe and led by TTK University of Applied Sciences in Estonia.
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The homepage for the future smart digital library of open and multilingual educational resources in the field of mathematics is now available. Bookmark the page https://gate2math.eu/ and follow its development.

The page will be developed according to the needs and interests of mathematics teachers in secondary, vocational, and higher schools, students from the last years of secondary or vocational education to the first years of STEM-adjacent degrees and fellows-researchers in the field of technology-assisted learning, online learning, and STEM pedagogy. It also considers visually impaired and colour-blind teachers and students.

The scope of the content will be wide-ranging and include open resources such as videos, infographics, games, applets, presentations, animations, artifacts, blogs, bibliographic references, questionnaires, databases, wikis, courses, and treatises from a theoretical point of view, practical, applied and assessment, covering the contents of Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, Statistics and Probability and their applications in STEM teaching.

Currently the page provides information on the project’s objectives, partners, and activities. It also includes updates on project developments and news related to mathematics education.

The page is done under the project Gate2Math, financed by Erasmus+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe, developed in a close cooperation with six partner universities across Europe and lead by TTK University of Applied Sciences in Estonia.

The ERASMUS+ project Gate2Math had its second transnational partner meeting from 20^th – 22^nd of April 2023 at FH CAMPUS 02 in Graz, Austria. The discussions were productive and will aid the project’s development. Social activities also strengthened communication and networking among the partners.